Margarita Anna Robertson ( Gladiadis, born 1953) is a New Zealand fashion designer and the founder and creative director of the New Zealand fashion line

NOM*d NOM*d is a New Zealand fashion design label established in 1986 by Margarita and Chris Robertson. The label operates from the historic city of Dunedin, in the Otago Region of New Zealand's South Island. In 1998, NOM*d showed at London Fashion We ...

. In the

2018 New Year Honours The 2018 New Year Honours are appointments by some of the 16 Commonwealth realms to various orders and honours to recognise and reward good works by citizens of those countries. The New Year Honours are awarded as part of the New Year celebratio ...

, she was appointed an

Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order of merit in the New Zealand royal honours system. It was established by royal warrant on 30 May 1996 by Elizabeth II, Queen of New Zealand, "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rend ...

, for services to the fashion industry. She is credited with helping define what is known as "the New Zealand Look." In the words of the New Zealand Fashion Museum, "Margarita Robertson’s status as a national designer of significant cultural importance is recognised in public collections and by her inclusion in recent exhibitions, biographies and histories on New Zealand fashion." In 2011, Robertson's creations were featured in a single-artist exhibition held at the Eastern Southland Gallery,

Gore Gore may refer to: Places Australia * Gore, Queensland * Gore Creek (New South Wales) * Gore Island (Queensland) Canada * Gore, Nova Scotia, a rural community * Gore, Quebec, a township municipality * Gore Bay, Ontario, a township on Manitouli ...

, July 28–2 September.

Background

Robertson was born in Clyde in 1953 and grew up in

Dunedin Dunedin ( ; mi, Ōtepoti) is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand (after Christchurch), and the principal city of the Otago region. Its name comes from , the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Th ...

. Her sister is

Elisabeth Findlay Elisabeth Findlay is a New Zealand fashion designer. She co-founded the fashion house Zambesi with her husband, Neville Findlay, in 1979. Career Findlay was born in Athens, Greece. In 1951 the Red Cross relocated her family to Dunedin, New ...

, founder of Zambesi, another New Zealand fashion line. She opened her first boutique in Dunedin in 1975, establishing her current boutique Plume in 1978, and a second Plume in

Christchurch Christchurch ( ; mi, Ōtautahi) is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. Christchurch lies on the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula on Pegasus Bay. The Avon River / ...

in 1992. Her label NOM*d, founded in 1986, was shown at the inaugural New Zealand Fashion Week in 2001 and is regularly features as part of

iD Dunedin Fashion Week iD Dunedin Fashion Week is an annual festival of fashion held in the New Zealand South Island city of Dunedin. The festival has been held regularly since 1999, and is held in the southern autumn in March or April. Description iD Dunedin is run by ...

Career

Within New Zealand, Robertson is associated with Dunedin and its cultural heritage as the location of the alternative music movement known as Dunedin sound. The bohemian counter-culture dimension of the city has left an indelible mark on her fashion sense. Her label appeals to a broad cross-section of its inhabitants – from those who were part of that movement to young aspiring creatives, writers, artists, musicians and others, including the many students who attend University of Otago, which is located in this city. Her designs are also described as "enjoying a flourishing trade in Europe, the United States and Asia." In 2015, ''

i-D magazine ''i-D'' is a British bimonthly magazine published by Vice Media, dedicated to fashion, music, art and youth culture. ''i-D'' was founded by designer and former ''Vogue'' art director Terry Jones in 1980. The first issue was published in the for ...

'''s website devoted an editorial spread to
Dunedin's Black Brigade
that featured Robertson and a series of young local inhabitants.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Robertson, Margi 1953 births Living people New Zealand fashion designers New Zealand women fashion designers New Zealand people of Greek descent Officers of the New Zealand Order of Merit People from Clyde, New Zealand